


tripod

by thunderylee



Series: love february 2021 [13]
Category: NEWS (Japan Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Platonic Relationships, Roommates, This is kind of depressing, true to life haha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:03:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29566533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thunderylee/pseuds/thunderylee
Summary: It takes three of them to make ends meet, and not just financially.
Series: love february 2021 [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138346
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	tripod

**Author's Note:**

> love february day 18: platonic. yesterday i saw a tweet where op was like "someone love me so we can split the bills" and the replies were like "you need a polycule to live comfortably these days" and "monogamy? not in THIS economy" so i wrote this.

“This is such bullshit,” Shige mutters as he aggressively slaps packing tape on another box. “I’ve paid my rent on time every month for _five years_. And they’re just gonna kick me out?”

“You’re three months’ late...” Koyama says gently.

“I lost my job!” 

“So did a lot of other people.”

Both Shige and Koyama turn to glare at Massu, who’s stacking finished boxes onto the dolly to wheel out to the moving van.

“You’re not helping,” Koyama hisses.

“I’m just saying.” Massu shrugs. “There’s no point in getting all pissed off and throwing around blame. What happened happened. Luckily you have us to take you in.”

Shige pinches the bridge of his nose while gripping the tape dispenser tighter. If Shige didn’t have bad aim, Massu would be concerned about having it chucked at his head.

“While I appreciate your generosity, your place is barely big enough for one person, let alone _three_. And a cat!”

“There is plenty of space,” Koyama rushes to soothe him, physically reaching out to rub Shige’s shoulder. “I’ll keep Milk in my room so you won’t even notice her. I already vacuum up the cat fur for Massu.”

“Don’t say that like you’re doing it just for me,” Massu says. “You’re a bigger clean freak than I am, and that’s saying a _lot_.”

“Besides,” Koyama goes on, frowning a little at Shige. “When you do find work again, I could use the help.”

Shige gapes as his eyes dart between both of them. “Even with both of your jobs?”

“Rent keeps going up.” Koyama shrugs.

“While our pay doesn’t,” Massu grumbles. “No one’s hiring either.”

“I love my job,” Koyama says wistfully. “But I can barely afford a one-bedroom apartment on my salary. Splitting the bills with Massu gives us both a little wiggle room, but we still can’t buy much in terms of groceries.”

“I’ll cook every day until I get a job,” Shige offers. “There are lots of things you can make with cheap ingredients.”

“See?” Koyama says brightly, like he’s desperate for some glimmer of optimism to cling onto. “This will work out just fine. Maybe the three of us were meant to live together.”

Shige’s face mirrors the skepticism in Massu’s head, but neither speak on it. Besides, Massu had thought that living with Koyama was going to be a disaster and they haven’t killed each other yet. They initially had a futon set up in Koyama’s one bedroom, but the chaise lounge on the couch was actually more comfortable for Massu’s back. Between work and the gym and his friends, Massu’s not really home that much anyway.

Even with Koyama’s obsessive minimalism, there is no space for a single piece of Shige’s furniture, so they get a small storage room for the things he really wants to keep and take the rest to the donation center. Shige keeps talking like it’s only going to be a few weeks before he gets back on his feet, but both Massu and Koyama know better. Massu had said the same thing two years ago when his spouse filed for divorce.

Koyama’s closet is already stuffed full, but he clears out some T-shirts and other things that don’t really need to be hung up so Shige can keep his suits wrinkle-free for interviews. Massu tries to downsize all of their hair and body products in the bathroom and ends up online shopping for cheap organizers instead. Shige unpacks most of his kitchenware and spices to fill up Koyama’s mostly barren kitchen.

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay,” Koyama says out of nowhere, and Massu looks up to find Shige bracing himself against the counter, shaking a little with his head hanging down. “You’re here. You’re safe.”

Massu thinks that’s a strange thing to say to someone, but Shige just nods and takes a deep breath to compose himself. Massu’s known these two since they were all teenagers, having met at the game arcade Koyama worked at part-time while he was in university, and somehow they’re still friends well into their thirties. Even though Massu got married and Shige was a workaholic, they made it a point to stay in touch all of these years.

Koyama probably had a lot to do with that, Massu realizes as he watches the eldest member of their trio continue to comfort the youngest with soothing words and shoulder pats. Koyama’s the nicest person Massu’s ever met, even if it gets him taken advantage of a lot. He even lets his students walk all over him, and they’re second-graders. Massu feels like he’s kicking a puppy every time he gets mad at him for anything.

Shige complements him well as the voice of reason to Koyama’s idealism. Despite their three-year age difference, Shige’s the responsible one who manages his money well and knows when to say no. Koyama _still_ consults him on large purchases; just the other day Shige talked him out of buying a robot vacuum. Now that they live together, Koyama may as well just hand over his credit cards.

Massu’s not sure what his place is in their friendship, but he enjoys being around both of them. Koyama’s so pure-hearted that it gives him faith in humanity even with all of the horrible things that are going on in the world right now. Meanwhile, Shige has the rationality to put things into perspective and look at opposing sides of an argument. Aside from being fiercely loyal, Massu doesn’t really contribute much to their dynamic.

“Does he always space out like that?”

“Yeah, I’ve gotten used to it.”

Massu notices he’s being talked about and turns to look at the other two who are both watching him intently. “What?”

“I’m jealous,” Shige says. “I wish I could just ignore reality for a while.”

“Sorry,” Massu says.

They get settled in for the night, taking turns in the bath before Koyama retreats to his bedroom and Shige opens his laptop at the dining table. There’s a drama playing on the TV but Massu’s not really paying attention to it, the rhythmic sounds of Shige’s typing luring him into some kind of pleasant hypnosis.

“What are you writing, a novel?” Massu jokes when he gets up to grab some water.

“Trying to,” Shige answers seriously, and Massu stops in his tracks to stare at him. “Starting out with some light blogging and daily writing prompts. I gotta do _something_ with my free time.”

“Whatever fulfills you, I guess.” 

“We can’t all be okay with going nowhere like you.”

Massu blinks. Shige’s tone is even so he probably didn’t mean that as an insult, but Massu feels a little slighted anyway. It’s true that he really doesn’t have any career goals, selling windows on commission even though the market is bad. There’s nothing particular he likes to do that he can get paid for, and he has no desire to get married again anytime soon, so he’s just kind of just coasting through life waiting to something to happen.

Or maybe it’s happening right now.

Shige keeps typing and frowning at his screen, oblivious to the epiphany that Massu seems to be hitting right in front of him, and when Shige finally notices he’s being stared at and meets his eyes, Massu’s face hurts.

“What are you smiling like that for?” Shige asks, sounding mildly annoyed. “You look like a serial killer. I might go take my chance with the cat and lock myself in Koyama’s room.”

“I just remembered the restaurant around the corner is hiring,” Massu tells him.

“I can’t work with the general public. I’m too mean.”

“They’re hiring a cook,” Massu goes on. “Don’t you like to cook?”

“Yeah, but I don’t like being told how to do it.”

“It’s a job, Shige. You don’t have to work there for the rest of your life, you know. It’s okay to take things one day at a time.”

Shige’s face relaxes and Massu feels like he had just said something really awesome. “You’re right. I’ll go check it out tomorrow. Thanks.”

Massu just nods and spreads out sheets and blankets on the chaise lounge to get ready for bed. Shige’s still typing rapidly when Massu comes back from washing his face and changes into his pajamas.

“Don’t stay up too late,” Massu warns as he turns off the lamp next to his head. “Koyama gets up early and he’s _loud_.”

Shige frowns and gives a noncommittal grunt. Massu closes his eyes and the next thing he knows, the sun is peeking in through the blinds and Koyama’s failing spectacularly at trying to shut his bedroom door quietly.

“Milk-chan, you can’t come out here,” Koyama’s saying softly. “Shige can’t breathe around you. Please stop trying to sneak out.”

Massu wants to make fun at him for expecting his cat to listen to him, but he’s not awake enough to form the words. Instead, he rolls over and glares down the hallway until Koyama stumbles into view and meets his eyes.

“Ah, Massu. I woke you up. Again. Sorry.”

“Used to it,” Massu mutters, finding his voice as he stretches. “Are you going to the gym?”

“Yeah, wanna come?”

“Yeah.”

“Hurry up and get up then.”

“Okay, okay.”

Massu has to go into Koyama’s room to change into workout clothes, and naturally Milk darts out the instant he opens the door. Koyama hears her bell and sighs loudly, rounding her up to deposit her back into the room while Massu makes himself somewhat presentable in the bathroom. It’s just the gym, at 6:30 in the morning even, but he’s still not going to look like a scrub.

By the time they get back, worn out and sweaty from the weight circuit, Shige’s futon is rolled up in the corner and a delicious smell wafts from the kitchen. Massu’s nose leads him right to a stack of pancakes, which he inhales while Koyama takes a quick shower and gets dressed for work. He’s still fastening his tie when he returns, and Shige whistles appropriately.

“Good thing you don’t teach high school,” Shige teases. “Your students wouldn’t learn anything with you looking like that.”

Koyama laughs. “There’s still one or two each year who get a crush on me, but it usually goes away when I make them learn multiplication tables.”

“Math is not sexy,” Massu agrees.

Shige rolls his eyes and sits at the table with his own pancakes. “I made coffee too. Not sure how either of you like it.”

“I can make my own coffee, Shige,” Koyama says pointedly, his mouth mostly full. “You don’t need to serve me. You’re not my house spouse.”

Massu laughs while Shige's face lights up. “Does that mean I don’t have to do the dishes?”

“I’ll do the dishes,” Massu offers. “After I shower. I don’t have to be at work until later.”

“Oh, Massu, can you leave your key with Shige today? I’ll get one made for him after school. I don’t want him to have to stay inside all day just because he can’t lock the door.”

“Okay, but you better let me in when I get back tonight.” Massu grabs his keys from the counter and pulls off the apartment key for Shige. “I’m off at six but I’m meeting Nakamaru for dinner after. He’s treating.”

“Nice,” Koyama says, shoving a few more forkfuls into his mouth before he drags himself out of his chair. “I have to go or I’m gonna be late. Have a good day, you two!”

Massu half expects him to try to kiss them both on the cheek before he leaves, but he just grabs his coat and heads out. Massu looks at Shige instead, not really sure why until Shige notices him and laughs.

“Reminding you of when you were married?” 

“Not at all,” Massu answers. “This is much better.”

He meant _easier_ , lighter, but he doesn’t rush to correct himself. Good thing, because that seems to be what finally gets Shige to relax, his shoulders slumping as he cuts his eating speed in half. He even leans back to take a sip of coffee, suddenly calm.

“Yeah,” Shige says slowly, smiling for the first time since they brought him home yesterday. “This is better.”


End file.
